Textile Insight

I t's easy to get swept up in the seasonal swirl of product launches and the shiny new technology that escorts these innovations to market. And there's plenty to get excited about this Fall; trade show aisles have been buzzing with activity – as I write this column, reports are coming in about a lively ISPO Munich November debut. Evaluating the latest and greatest fabric is how we take the industry's temperature; today's hot products and cool ideas indicate a healthy textile community. You can read about trendsetting innovations in this issue's cover story starting on page 18. I do my fair share of swooning over material marvels, yet for my money, what is truly new these days is the role of the ingredient supplier. A modern mindset has taken hold within this sector of the textile business and I was wowed by brands' refashioning strategies to fit contemporary culture. Creativity reigns with podcasts, virtual experiences, digital libraries and the ability to turn on a dime and speed advancements to commercialization in collaboration with mill and brand partners. In 2022 "VOC" became an abbreviation du jour. It stands for Voice of the Consumer, and was highlighted by every exec I interviewed. Turn to the Strategies story page 28 to learn more. Our November/December magazine is chock full of topnotch reporting: Debra Cobb goes deep on denim (Page 16); Sue Blecher reports on gear and garments designed for climate uncertainty (Page 24); and Kathy Swantko gets the lowdown on high-tech, smart fabric research happening at Rice University. Plus, if you're like me and go straight to the back page when opening a magazine, that's where you'll find Kurt Gray's Out of Context column. He offers a keen take on growth of the second hand market and shares why it's a movement worth watching. No matter your reading style – front to back or back to front – or features first then the news – dive in! Wishing you a happy holiday, Staying Relevant Requires Going Beyond New to What's Next A modern mindset has taken hold within this sector of the textile business and I was wowed by brands' refashioning strategies to fit contemporary culture. TEXTILE TALK / EMILY WALZER 4 • Textile Insight ~ November/December 2022 footwearinsight.com Every day, we collaborate with leading global mills and apparel brands. In turn, we're bridging gaps and strengthening relationships for a textile industry that's more important than ever. At the center of the textile world.

• Cover